Digital Forensics and Intellectual Property Rights Protection in the Age of Artificial Intelligece Technology and Deep Fakes

Abstract

The rise in Artificial Intelligence and deepfake technologies has posed numerous challenges to the protection of intellectual property rights. In the digital era, the integrity and originality of creative content, inventions, and trademarks are increasingly threatened by synthetic media, algorithm-generated works, and illicit reproductions. This research explores the role of digital forensic techniques in safeguarding intellectual property rights. It examines how forensics can be utilised to trace infringement of IP rights and support litigation through admissible evidence. The study identifies gaps in the legislative framework for regulating AI-generated content and admissibility of digital forensic evidence. A quantitative method and comparative legal analysis is used to identify the challenges faced by IP rights. Further, an analysis of selected case laws has been done to understand the enforcement of digital forensic techniques. The findings reveal an urgent need for bringing amendments to existing laws associated with copyright and trademark so that digital forensic techniques can resolve the challenges created by emerging technologies to IP rights. The paper concludes by offering recommendations for standardizing procedures for admissibility of forensic evidence in IP cases.

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